[Politics] Secret torture memos to be released

endless psych · 16th April 2009, 5:02pm

Quote:

After a tense internal debate, the Obama administration this afternoon will make public a number of detailed memos describing the harsh interrogation techniques used by the Central Intelligence Agency against al Qaeda suspects in secret overseas prisons.

The interrogation methods were among the Bush administration’s most closely guarded secrets, and today’s release will be the most comprehensive public accounting to date of the interrogation program that some senior Obama administration officials have said used illegal torture.

Now I'm all for transparency in Government but I can't help wondering if that transparency just amounts to making the actions of the previous administration transparent you might be going about it with a (possibly) unhealthy dose of cynicism...

However it might go someway to heal wounds between America and the middle east... Possibly... It's a long shot but you never know...

metallideth · 16th April 2009, 6:50pm

I may be wrong, but hasn't Obama said that no one will be prosecuted (or taken to task in any other official manner) over the use of torture? I seem to recall Clive Stafford Smith saying something along those lines on C4 News a week or two ago. Kind of makes the whole 'transparency' thing a bit of a show.

**djtoast** · 17th April 2009, 4:17am

Quote:

Originally Posted by metallideth

I may be wrong, but hasn't Obama said that no one will be prosecuted (or taken to task in any other official manner) over the use of torture?

I'd be VERY surprised if he has the power to ensure that!

The executive and the judiciary are pretty separate entities.

djbarry · 17th April 2009, 4:21am

Excellent, a decent new torture training manual the old ones were getting a tad passe.

Posh · 17th April 2009, 4:21am

Quote:

Originally Posted by metallideth

I may be wrong, but hasn't Obama said that no one will be prosecuted (or taken to task in any other official manner) over the use of torture? I seem to recall Clive Stafford Smith saying something along those lines on C4 News a week or two ago. Kind of makes the whole 'transparency' thing a bit of a show.

Quote:

Attorney General Eric Holder says the government won’t prosecute CIA officials for using waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics on terror suspects…
Holder said in a statement Thursday it would be unfair to prosecute CIA employees for following the legal advice given at the time. And he says the government will defend any CIA employee in any court action brought in the U.S. or overseas.
“This is a time for reflection, not retribution,” President Barack Obama said in a statement.

.

**djtoast** · 17th April 2009, 5:05am

the eighth amendment may make that a grey-er area than the justice department would like, if commies and beatniks want to stir up trouble.

AWESOMEUS MAXIMUS · 17th April 2009, 1:12pm

Союз нерушимый республик свободных
Сплотила навеки Великая Русь.
Да здравствует созданный волей народов
Единый, могучий Советский Союз!

Славься, Отечество наше свободное,
Дружбы, народов надежный оплот!
Знамя советское, знамя народное
Пусть от победы, к победе ведет!

Soiuz nerushimyj respublik svobodnykh
Splotila naveki Velikaia Rus.
Da zdravstvuet sozdannyj volej narodov
Edinyj, moguchij Sovetskij Soiuz!

Slavsia, Otechestvo nashe svobodnoe,
Druzhby, narodov nadezhnyj oplot!
Znamia sovetskoe, znamia narodnoe
Pust ot pobedy, k pobede vedet!

Сквозь грозы сияло нам солнце свободы,
И Ленин великий нам путь озарил.
Нас вырастил Сталин - на верность народу
На труд и на подвиги нас вдохновил.

Славься, Отечество чаше свободное,
Счастья народов надежный оплот!
Знамя советское, знамя народное
Пусть от победы к победе ведет!

Skvoz grozy siialo nam solntse svobody,
I Lenin velikij nam put ozaril.
Nas vyrastil Stalin - na vernost narodu
Na trud i na podvigi nas vdokhnovil.

Slavsia, Otechestvo chashe svobodnoe,
Schastia narodov nadezhnyj oplot!
Znamia sovetskoe, znamia narodnoe
Pust ot pobedy k pobede vedet!

Мы армию нашу растили в сраженьях,
Захватчиков подлых с дороги сметем!
Мы в битвах решаем судьбу поколений,
Мы к славе Отчизну свою поведем!

Славься, Отечество наше свободное,
Славы народов надежный оплот!
Знамя советское, знамя народное
Пусть от победы к победе ведет! "

Joe Spinebuster · 17th April 2009, 1:24pm

Some of the memos have actually leaked already. I read one a while back, that shit was pretty intense. One memo detailed how a guy was tied to a fuckin' bed post with his ass cheeks spread out and shit, then a hanger was put on a fuckin' stove and that shit was left to sit there for like a half hour before being took off and stuck in the guy's ass like "tssssss".

endless psych · 17th April 2009, 1:33pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWESOMEUS MAXIMUS

Союз нерушимый республик свободных
Сплотила навеки Великая Русь.
Да здравствует созданный волей народов
Единый, могучий Советский Союз!

Славься, Отечество наше свободное,
Дружбы, народов надежный оплот!
Знамя советское, знамя народное
Пусть от победы, к победе ведет!

Soiuz nerushimyj respublik svobodnykh
Splotila naveki Velikaia Rus.
Da zdravstvuet sozdannyj volej narodov
Edinyj, moguchij Sovetskij Soiuz!

Slavsia, Otechestvo nashe svobodnoe,
Druzhby, narodov nadezhnyj oplot!
Znamia sovetskoe, znamia narodnoe
Pust ot pobedy, k pobede vedet!

Сквозь грозы сияло нам солнце свободы,
И Ленин великий нам путь озарил.
Нас вырастил Сталин - на верность народу
На труд и на подвиги нас вдохновил.

Славься, Отечество чаше свободное,
Счастья народов надежный оплот!
Знамя советское, знамя народное
Пусть от победы к победе ведет!

Skvoz grozy siialo nam solntse svobody,
I Lenin velikij nam put ozaril.
Nas vyrastil Stalin - na vernost narodu
Na trud i na podvigi nas vdokhnovil.

Slavsia, Otechestvo chashe svobodnoe,
Schastia narodov nadezhnyj oplot!
Znamia sovetskoe, znamia narodnoe
Pust ot pobedy k pobede vedet!

Мы армию нашу растили в сраженьях,
Захватчиков подлых с дороги сметем!
Мы в битвах решаем судьбу поколений,
Мы к славе Отчизну свою поведем!

Славься, Отечество наше свободное,
Славы народов надежный оплот!
Знамя советское, знамя народное
Пусть от победы к победе ведет! "

Just in case anyone mistakes this for a sentient point:-

Quote:

Unbreakable union of free republics,
Great Rus' has joined forever!
Long live the created by the will of peoples
United and mighty Soviet Union

CHORUS:
To Glory, our free Fatherland
The stronghold of the friendship of peoples
Party of Lenin is the power of the people
It leads us to the triumph of Communism

2.

Through storms the sun of freedom shone to us
And the great Lenin lighted us the way
He raised peoples to the right cause
He inspired us for labour and for acts of heroism

CHORUS

3.

In the victory of the immortal ideas of Communism
We see the future of our country,
And to the Red banner of our glorious Fatherland
We shall always be selflessly loyal

Cos the Soviet national anthem is a sensible thing to be posting here...

Barrel scraping?

AWESOMEUS MAXIMUS · 17th April 2009, 1:38pm

Waaaahhhheeeey!

Easy Easy Easy Easy.

*Potatojunkie* · 17th April 2009, 1:41pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by endless psych

a sentient point

Been reading Flatland?

Westy · 17th April 2009, 1:58pm

"Just tell us, have you seen big Chris in this thread? Nod yer head and we can protect you"

"Chief Inspector, the suspect has been spotted, in Borders on Buchanan Street."

"Vrooooooooooooom!"

"Ye'll no fuckin' catch me, master of disguises"

"CANNAE FIND HIM SIR, I REPEAT, SUSPECT HAS EVADED DETECTION"

"There he is, catch that man!"

"Fucking got him! GAFFER"

*Potatojunkie* · 17th April 2009, 2:01pm

Westy, that would have been fucking rotten even if Borders were actually on Sauchiehall Street. Which it isn't.

Jaemi · 17th April 2009, 2:02pm

Aye Westy, once was funny...

Westy · 17th April 2009, 2:04pm